Everyone knows one of the tips for a happy life is to love your own body, but it seems the first thoughts that come to mind when told to love your body are always “Have you SEEN these wrinkles??” or “But look at these HIPS!”

No one ever really goes into the details of how you are supposed to love all those imperfections, so many people just end up pretending that they can accept themselves as they are, and therefore just pretend to love their bodies.

But really, loving your body does not in any way involve looking at yourself in a mirror, or even thinking about anything visible to the eye.

Take one moment to breathe deeply. Feel your lungs expand in your ribcage. Your diaphragm has just helped you to stay alive.

Now think about your heart. Imagine how it sounds as it is working. This amazing part of your body is sending blood through your veins right now. You are alive because that hard-working heart is sending nutrients and oxygen from your stomach and lungs all the way out to your fingertips.

Look at your fingers. Move them around. They do what you want them to do, they feel things so that you can experience the life that you have chosen to live. They are part of your body, and they exist for you. Your eyes, your nose, your ears, your tongue, are all part of you, and they are all working hard, gathering up as much information about the world as they can – just for you.

There are so many miraculous systems working in you right now. Your body is working all the time, every moment, and you are alive because of it. Doesn’t that deserve your love?

Experiencing and appreciating this magical process is what “loving your body” is all about.